diff --git a/include/opaque.h b/include/opaque.h
index b3c7c70d6..dfe440cdc 100644
--- a/include/opaque.h
+++ b/include/opaque.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ extern _X_EXPORT int defaultBackingStore;
 extern _X_EXPORT Bool disableBackingStore;
 extern _X_EXPORT Bool enableBackingStore;
 extern _X_EXPORT Bool PartialNetwork;
+extern _X_EXPORT Bool RunFromSigStopParent;
 #ifndef NOLOGOHACK
 extern _X_EXPORT int logoScreenSaver;
 #endif
diff --git a/os/connection.c b/os/connection.c
index 77910be52..28cd1935c 100644
--- a/os/connection.c
+++ b/os/connection.c
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ Bool NewOutputPending;		/* not yet attempted to write some new output */
 Bool AnyClientsWriteBlocked;	/* true if some client blocked on write */
 
 static Bool RunFromSmartParent;	/* send SIGUSR1 to parent process */
+Bool RunFromSigStopParent;	/* send SIGSTOP to our own process; Upstart (or
+				   equivalent) will send SIGCONT back. */
 Bool PartialNetwork;	/* continue even if unable to bind all addrs */
 static Pid_t ParentProcess;
 
@@ -357,6 +359,8 @@ NotifyParentProcess(void)
 	    kill (ParentProcess, SIGUSR1);
 	}
     }
+    if (RunFromSigStopParent)
+	raise (SIGSTOP);
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/os/utils.c b/os/utils.c
index 51455cca1..f30674ba5 100644
--- a/os/utils.c
+++ b/os/utils.c
@@ -527,6 +527,7 @@ void UseMsg(void)
 #endif
     ErrorF("-dumbSched             Disable smart scheduling, enable old behavior\n");
     ErrorF("-schedInterval int     Set scheduler interval in msec\n");
+    ErrorF("-sigstop               Enable SIGSTOP based startup\n");
     ErrorF("+extension name        Enable extension\n");
     ErrorF("-extension name        Disable extension\n");
 #ifdef XDMCP
@@ -922,6 +923,10 @@ ProcessCommandLine(int argc, char *argv[])
 	    else
 		UseMsg ();
 	}
+	else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "-sigstop") == 0)
+	{
+	    RunFromSigStopParent = TRUE;
+	}
 	else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "+extension") == 0)
 	{
 	    if (++i < argc)